Minutes of the Executive Committee Meeting Held at the Bear Hotel, Crickhowell

CymdeithasParcBannauBrycheiniog

The BreconBeaconsPark Society

Minutes of the Executive Committee Meeting held at The Bear Hotel, Crickhowell,

onTuesday,19thMay, 2015 at 5.00pm.

Present:Jim Wilson (Chairman), Ceridwen Coulson,Charles Henderson, Anne Pritchard,

Elizabeth Gibbs, Richard Chandler (Minutes Secretary).

1. Apologies:David Thomas, Ben Sladen, Chris Barber.

2.The Minutes of the Last Meeting (on 14th April, 2015) were approved andsigned.

3.Matters arising:(i) 3.iii Done. (ii) 3.vi Done. (iii)4.7 Done. (iv)4.10 Done. (v) 4.11 Not done. Jenny Robbins has resigned. (vi)4.13 Done. (vii)5.i Not done. Anne will speak to Ben about updating the email addresses list and the sending of emails to other members of the same households. ACTION: Anne. (viii)5.ii Done. (ix)5.iii Done.

4. Reports:

4.1 Financial and Membership – See document from Ben, circulated previously, regarding the Annual Return to the Charity Commission. It was agreed that no action is required, at present, and that the matter may be considered during the next year. The final accounts show a £500 positive balance. Anne will remind Ben about sending information to David, regarding the electronic application form, which is to go on the website. ACTION: Anne.

4.2 Secretarial –see Ceridwen’s report, previously circulated. Invitations to the AGM have been sent, by mail or by email, to all members and to guests. The Annual Report and Financial Statements are on the website. Ceridwen will attach the necessary documents to the display boards. Dates for Executive Committee meetings, in the next year, were agreed. The 2016 AGM will be on 11th June.

4.3 Guided Walks and Events Programmes –see Anne’s report, previously circulated. There were many more walkers than usual during the last winter, largely on account of the more reasonable weather. Although some had to be changed, no walks were cancelled. Jason Rees of the BBNPA has suggested that the footpath volunteers should adopt a section of footpath and to concentrate all their efforts on that. He has suggested the Offa’s Dyke path above Hay Bluff but it was agreed that it would be better to take on a section of the Beacons Way, as it would be easier for people to get to. Anne will discuss this with Ros Grant. ACTION: Anne. It has been suggested and agreed that some walk leader training will now be held in small groups or ‘clusters’ in various parts of the Park, led by leaders who already have qualifications or experience. It has also been suggested that some of the walks leaders might go along to Mountain Rescue training days, as observers. It is understood that the Western Brecon Team are intending to hold a training day at Rhossili Bay on the 11th July and to open this to all walkers. It was agreed that the information should be transmitted to all Society members, by email, website and Facebook. ACTION: Anne/Ceridwen. 4.3 cont.

One hundred and fourteen peoplehave signed up to the Society Facebook page, though not all are, necessarily, Society members.

4.4 The Beacon – No report.

4.5 Website –No report.

4.6 Beacons Way Steering Group –No report. Jim has prepared a draft letter to the BWSG to express our disappointment at the level of support for the Beacons Way that is currently being shown by both the Authority and the Steering Group itself. With a slight amendment, it was unanimously agreed that this should be sent.

4.7 Planning and Development Control –see report by Liz, circulated previously. Liz did put in an objection to a planning application plan to turn the Corn Exchange Public House, Crickhowell, into a convenience store, as indicated at the last meeting. The application has now been withdrawn. She has put in an objection to an application for the change of use of a shop in the centre of Brecon into a coffee shop, on the grounds that the development would involve alterations to the shop front of a listed building in the Conservation Area. There has been no news, as yet, of a decision on the Circuit of Wales Enquiry.

4.8 Walls of Llangynidr –No report.

4.9 Brecon Beacons Trust –Charles has attended his first meeting of the BBT. The Trust has agreed to award a grant of 75% of the cost of a Biodiversity and EcologicalSurveyof the Gunpowder Works site, conditional upon a confirmation, by tender, of the costs; upon confirmation that the Park Society and the BBNPA will provide match funding; and upon a successful application for funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the definitive conservation project. It appears that, at the current rate of grant approvals, the Trust will run out of money after approximately two years.

4.10 Rights of Way –see David Dickson’s report, circulated previously.

4.11 Communications/Publicity/Press Releases –As noted earlier, Jenny Robbins has resigned as Newsletter Editor. Following a discussion about the future of the Newsletter, it was agreed that we do need one and that it should be only a list of succinct news items pertinent to the Society. It was agreed, once again, that we do need a Publicity Officer, to increase the profile of the Society and to ensure effective communications both within and outwith the Society. Anne will email all walk leaders to ask if they would like to volunteer, and also to ask them to canvass members on walks. ACTION: Anne.

4.12 Geopark Management Group–see report from Dilys, circulated previously. There is a proposal that the Partnership Board should disband itself.

4.13 Alliance for National Parks Cymru/Welsh Government’s Legislation Programme –The Alliance has been considering its input to the Stage 2 Review of the Designated Landscapes Bill and will submit comments. A full meeting of the Alliance Board was held last week and its response to the discussions and comments to be submitted was entirely positive. The new Chief Executive of CNP, Fiona Howie, attended, by invitation. Subsequently, she met John Cook and was shown the National Grid potential undergrounding sites by Jim and Julian Atkins. First impressions appeared to be good and it is to be hoped that relationships between the Welsh Park Societies and CNP will, in the not too distant future, settle on a more amenable footing, with their acceptance that the Alliance is to take the lead in all things related to Welsh National Parks.

4.14 BBPS/ BBNPA Relations – Continue to be good. Jim has commented on the BBNPA Management Plan 2015 – 2025. We have been invited to vote on which area of Authority work the Scrutiny Group should look at next. They are also keeping us informed and involved regarding new funding sources coming from Welsh Government.

4.15 Dark Sky -It is hoped that our input into Welsh Planning Policy will be accepted, with regard to lighting regulations.

4.16 Fundraising and Business Planning –Not good news – the ‘Taste in Wales’ group have not implemented it properly and only £25 has come in recently. Jim, Dilys and Ruth Coulthard are to go to look at the Gunpowder Works. Thanks were extended to Liz for championing us with the Gibbs Trust, from which we will (conditionally) receive £2000 towards the Gunpowder Works project. The Society has contributed £300. The total project cost is estimated to be in the region of £1.2 million.

5.Any Other Business –None.

6. Date of Next Meeting – Tuesday, 14th July 2015 at 5.00pm. at The Bear Hotel, Crickhowell.

N.B.Saturday, 13th June, 2015, at 10.00am. - Annual General Meeting at the Learning Room at the Big Pit National Coal Museum in Blaenavon.

The meeting ended at 6.24pm.

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